UNDP SDG Impact platform presented at the Eurasian Congress 2021
On 2 December 2021, Ben Slay, Senior Economist at the UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS and Deputy Regional Director for Europe and the CIS a.i., took part in the thematic session 'Global ESG Agenda: Common Challenges and Opportunities for the EAEU Countries' within the framework of the second Eurasian Congress dedicated to unlocking the potential of Eurasian integration by enhancing production and technical cooperation, sharing advanced technologies, and building new value chains.
Ben Slay provided examples of UNDP initiatives in the EAEU countries and presented the SDG Impact platform which integrates two main directions of UNDP’s work within the ESG agenda - the adaptation of SDG goals, objectives and indicators to national priorities and the support of sustainable business models for state and private companies. The platform allows companies and banks to integrate impact management and contribute positively to the SDGs in their internal practices and decision-making. Russia’s role as a donor was mentioned in relation to financing SDG projects in the EAEU countries.
The Eurasian Congress was organized by the Eurasian Development Bank in Moscow. UNDP and the Bank signed a Memorandum of understanding at the end of 2020.